Red Carpet Fashion (It’s Not for the Everyday)

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Posted on February 23 2011

It takes a village to achieve swoon-worthy red carpet looks. While we may enlist a BFF to help navigate through the sartorial trenches, Hollywood’s A-list signs on an army. Stylists, make-up artists, hair-dressers, publicists, agents, fitness instructors, estheticians, and plastic surgeons conspire to clinch the ultimate in red carpet magnificence for their client. In hopes of ascending to the top of best-dressed lists, and avoiding the infamous Fashion Police run-in, our favorite stars must dress and impress to the nines. In order to shine on the red carpet, actresses must step into the spotlight of scrutiny. With every detail devoured, red carpet fashion holds its own set of rules. Here’s what’s needed to score big style points on the red carpet.

Image credits: Jason Merritt/Getty Images North America

Snatching a gown straight from the runway is like winning the golden ticket to red carpet success. Stylists attend fashion shows with their clients in mind, and once they’ve spotted The Dress, the battle has just begun. Magazine editors, eager to shoot their spring fashion pages, are coveting the same gowns. There’s also the inner industry competition between celeb stylists chewing at the bit for a piece of sparkling couture. By the time the Oscars roll around in late February, the collections from Spring, Fall and Haute Couture are all up for grabs. Beat the heat, and start your warm weather shopping now with our wide selection of summer frocks.

If the dress sets the foundation, the jewels add the glow. Natalie Portman gallivanted at the SAG awards in 2 million dollars of Tiffany bling. Her white Azzaro gown was enhanced by yellow diamond drop earrings and matching bangles for each wrist. At the same awards show, Lea Michele complemented her Oscar De La Renta sheath with almost 1 million dollars worth of Tiffany rocks stacking her arm in shimmering glitz.

Holding ground for all gowns is a sharp pair of heels. The right pair carries the look from head to toe. The wrong pair recklessly skids into worst-dressed territory. At the Grammy awards, Jennifer Hudson was smoldering in a Versace dress that cinched her tiny waist to perfection. Unfortunately, the shoes didn’t provide the proper pop. A pair of silver gladiator sandals would’ve given a better lift, and a flawless look could have been hers.

And lastly, there’s an attitude that must be conveyed which measures beyond mere confidence to an engaging radiance. Kristen Stewart’s go-to accessory, the frown, does nothing to help her win points in the style department. But the cool grace of Nicole Kidman shows all signs of a bona fide star who has mastered the red carpet with savoir faire.